.jpeg&w=60&q=100&h=60)
About a month after a rainstorm destroyed school infrastructure and people’s houses at Kafukule in Mzimba, about 50 households are homeless after another rainstorm destroyed their houses in areas of traditional authorities Mzukuzuku and Mzikubola in the district Monday evening.
Desk Officer for Disaster Risk Management for M’mbelwa District Council, Thomas Munthali, said about 33 houses in Mabiri, and 20 houses in Ehehleni and Mapanjira have been affected.
“We got reports in the morning from councilors coming from the said areas about the tragedy. We are working to conduct an assessment to come up with the exact figures on the ground,” said Munthali.
Munthali, who is also the local council’s Director of Administration, said his office has also reported the matter to the Department of Disaster Risk Management Affairs for assistance.
“However, we got a positive response such that plastic sheets, plates, maize and pails, are already on the way to assist the affected people,” said the district council official in an interview with Malawi News Agency.
Speaking in an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) Member of Parliament for Mzimba South Constituency, where the ordeal has taken place Makwenda Chunga, also confirmed the reports.
“I was at the constituency when this was happening, and I reported the issue to the District Commissioner Thomas Chirwa who came yesterday to witness this incident for himself and promised to come back later to donate some basic items for the affected people,” Chunga said.
In an interview with MANA, Group Village Headman Barton Ndlovu,in the area of T/A Mzukuzuku in the District said he was very shocked with this disaster which has destroyed among other things the Health Centre.
He explains: “The rains have destroyed part of Mabiri Health Centre, and I thank God that mothers and their babies who were inside when this was happening are safe. They had to run for their life before the situation was worse. No one of them was injured and they have been transferred to the storeroom for shelter.
“Apart from that, the rains destroyed eight toilets at Mabiri Primary School and three toilets at Mabiri Health Centre. It has also destroyed the house of Agriculture Extension Worker in the area and now he and his family are temporarily living at the orphanage center in the area.”
One of the victims,42 year old Ellen Hara said they have no food and her hope of growing crops this rainy season has been washed away with her lost four bags of fertilizer.
She said food and other important things like kitchen utensils and blankets have also been destroyed.
One of the workers at Mabiri health center, Mighty Mvula said it was true that the rains have damaged part of the hospital together with the solar panels which they use at the hospital.
This comes amid reports that heavy rains have also displaced people in other parts of the country.
